


How to Hit the Right Note

by fivehorizons



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Hinata needs love guys come on, M/M, battle of the bands au, possibility of more pairings??, punk!Hinata, punk!Kuroo, punk!everyone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 08:46:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3644052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fivehorizons/pseuds/fivehorizons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shouyou made it a policy to never sleep with someone on the days he had a gig. A Haikyuu!! Battle of the Bands AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Another Brick in the Wall

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time writing smut *sweats* also my first fic for Haikyuu!! Please don't slaughter me for poor writing/OOC idk just take this mess. Also only main change to canon world is that Kuroo is a year older (so Hina never met him back in the Karasuno-Nekoma matches)

Shouyou made it a policy to never sleep with someone on the days he had a gig. He had done it once, and when he went on the stage hours later, he had gotten the hiccups mid-performance. It was horrifying to have all those people in the crowd laughing at him as he went from hitting a low note to practically shrieking out a loud ‘HIC!’ Even more terrifying had been Kei after the performance. Shouyou still considered himself lucky for making it out of that night without a drumstick driven into his skull.

He had blamed the whole catastrophe on all the screams and moans he had made during the day, and since that awful incident, he had kept himself from getting too frisky on the eve of a performance. And tonight was important, probably one of the most important shows his band had ever had. He had no intention of letting one guy ruin it, no matter how attractive he was.

But that had gone to hell the moment Shouyou walked into his usual tattoo shop. He had the intention of getting a nose ring. Kei had told him he would never be able to pull it off, but that had only made Shouyou want it even more. He already had three piercings on his left ear, two on the right, along with a cartridge. A variety of tattoos covered his body, most of them hidden by the dark clothes he had worn out, and he had finally grown his hair out so it was long enough to pull back into a short ponytail, such as he did now.

He bounced his way into the shop, bursting with excitement at the idea of brandishing a nose ring at tonight’s concert. His high pain tolerance assured him that he wouldn’t have to worry about any repercussions for getting the nose ring hours before the performance. So long as he wasn’t sleeping with anyone, he could do anything.

“Hey, Noya!” Shouyou called, as he entered the familiar shop. His old teammate co-owned the shop with Tanaka, another ex-teammate. However, the chaotic duo was temporarily parted; only Noya was at work.

Noya was in the middle of piercing a guy’s eyebrow, but he paused to wave at Shouyou. “Give me a sec, Hinata.”

Shouyou nodded and skipped over to one of the seats lined around the perimeter of the shop. He remembered when Noya and Tanaka had first said they were going to open a tattoo shop. Sawamura had almost strangled them, but thankfully Suga had been there to hold him back. Meanwhile, Shouyou had been ecstatic. He had been their first customer. A crow tattooed on his shoulder proved it.

Now, three years later, Noya and Tanaka were still in business, and Shouyou always brought in customers. Whenever his fans asked him where he got his tattoos done, he boasted of the tattoo shop. It seemed like being in a band really did have its pros.

Unlike usual, there was only one customer in the shop, the guy getting his eyebrow pierced. Shouyou hadn’t paid him any attention until Noya shouted, “It looks great, Kuroo!”

Shouyou allowed his eyes to roam over the customer, Kuroo, as he lifted out of his chair to examine the new piece of metal hooked onto his eyebrow. Shouyou’s stomach lurched as he acknowledged the guy was pretty damn hot. His ink black hair was in a state of disarray—half of it stood straight up while the rest dipped in front of his dark eyes. On top of the new eyebrow piercing, his ears had their fair share of metal. He was tall, far taller than Shouyou ever hoped to grow, but his body was layered in muscle that visibly bulged in the sleeveless shirt he wore. The hints of a dark tattoo peeked from beneath the low-cut side of his shirt.

Shouyou was still admiring Kuroo when he smirked into the mirror. “Nice work, Nishinoya,” he purred.

Shouyou’s heart skipped a beat. That smirk lit Kuroo’s face, but not in the way Shouyou expected. It wasn’t brightness that entered the guy’s face, but something else. Something that made Shouyou’s stomach twist with desire.

“Glad to help, man,” Noya said, slapping the guy on his back. “You can go to the front desk. I’ll ring you up after I clean up and get ready for the next guy.”

Kuroo turned from the mirror, and of course, the first thing his eyes landed on was Shouyou, who was practically gaping at him. Shouyou shut his mouth and averted his eyes to the ceiling. His ears burned red as he caught Kuroo’s smirk deepen from the corner of his eyes.

“Get over here, Hinata!” Noya called. He patted at the seat the guy had just been in before moving to go into the back room. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Shouyou didn’t want to get up—that meant walking past Kuroo—but not moving would make things more awkward.

Shouyou swallowed his embarrassment—for God’s sake he was leading vocalist for an up and coming band. He should be the one making people blush and squirm—and pulled himself from the waiting seats. He walked over towards Noya’s station, making sure to keep his eyes glued to the floor.

He would’ve walked right past the attractive, recently eyebrow-pierced guy, but for some reason, Kuroo shifted one step over so he stood right in front of Shouyou’s path.

Without looking up, Shouyou asked, “Could you move, please?”

“How ‘bout looking into my eyes when you ask a question?” Kuroo asked. Shouyou’s knees weakened at the huskiness of the other’s voice.

Shouyou decided to try walking around Kuroo rather than look up, but Kuroo wouldn’t have that. The moment Shouyou turned to swerve out of Kuroo’s way, he followed the movement.

“Resilient, aren’t you?” Kuroo chuckled. “It’s kinda cute.”

Shouyou’s face burned at Kuroo’s words. He slowly became aware of how close they stood together, and he backed off a step.

With more force, Shouyou said, “Move.”

“Whoa, I’m not trying to pick a fight.” As if to prove a point, Kuroo stepped backed. “I just wanna see those pretty eyes of yours again.”

The statement shocked Shouyou so much that he snapped his head up, accidentally meeting Kuroo’s eyes.

And that was Shouyou’s downfall. Kuroo’s eyes were locked on his, kindling with keen interest and a predatory appeal. A smirk curled on his way too kissable-looking lips. He was the embodiment of Shouyou’s physical type; enigmatic, attractive, and adjourning at least three pieces of metal on his body. If this was any other day, Shouyou wouldn’t delay any pursuit of _other_ affairs. But life was cruel, and today was one of the most important performances of Shouyou’s music career. No guy was worth risking that.

“I’ve never seen eyes like yours,” Kuroo said throatily. He leaned down so he could look deeper into Shouyou’s eyes. Shouyou tried not to flush, but with Kuroo’s intense eyes inches from his own, it was impossible. “Amber. Really unique.” Kuroo slowly bit his lip. “And a bit of a turn-on.”

 _Oh_. Oh no. Shouyou gulped as he felt a thrill of desire spiral up his spine. This Kuroo guy wasn’t someone who beat around the bush. He knew what he wanted, and Shouyou was almost willing to comply.

“What are you doing after you’re done here?” Kuroo asked.

“I, uh.” Shouyou’s voice caught in his throat. His performance wasn’t for another few hours, so he did have time to spare. But when that free slot of time would be spent with Kuroo, Shouyou seriously doubted he would be able to keep true to his promise of never fucking on performance days.

“Yo, Hinata!” Noya called, as he emerged from the back room.

Shouyou jumped back a step from Kuroo, and the other man sniggered.

“Y-yes, Noya?” Shouyou asked over Kuroo’s massive shoulder.

“I told you to get over here!” Noya complained. “I get off soon, and I’m supposed to meet up with Azumane. I can’t have you ruining my plans.”

“Coming,” Shouyou said, and he glided past Kuroo.

As Shouyou went by, Kuroo whispered, “I’ll be waiting at the bar across the street.”

Then Kuroo was off, throwing some cash on the counter. “Keep the change!”

Noya whooped. “Thanks, man!”

Shouyou didn’t realize he had paused in his step until Kuroo left the tattoo shop with a ring.

“So… what’s between you and that guy?”

Shouyou jumped at the sound of Noya at his side. “I-I don’t know him! This was my first time ever seeing him.”

Noya gave Shouyou a wry grin. “He seems really into you.” Noya spun towards his booth, motioning for Shouyou to follow him. “Did you get his number?”

Shouyou slipped into the leather chair, shaking his head. He was going to keep silent on the topic, but this was one of Shouyou’s friends. He could trust Noya to listen to him rant about a guy. He had done it before. “But he did tell me that he’d be at the bar across the street, waiting for me.”

“Oh, man, you gotta hit that up,” Noya said, as he reached for the piercing gun. “You said you wanted your nose, right?”

Shouyou nodded but shifted his focus back to Kuroo. “Do you really think I should meet him up? I mean, he could be a psycho for all I know.”

“At least he’s hot,” Noya added jokingly. “But you have nothing to worry about. Kuroo’s been here a couple of times. Chill guy. I don’t think he’s killed anyone, but if he has, it’s because of that smirk.”

“What a relief,” Shouyou said, with an eye roll. He blinked, and Kuroo’s smirk easily projected itself.

“But really, bro, what’s holding you back from hooking up with him?” Noya went on. “You’re usually all for one-night stands and quickies.”

Shouyou went as bright as his hair. “Shut up. Don’t act like you and Asahi are saints.”

Noya mischievously grinned. “I wasn’t saying anything about me and Azumane.” Noya put a mirror in Shouyou’s hands. “Tell me where you want the piercing. And ring or stud?”

“Stud for now.” Shouyou brought up the mirror and debated on which nostril would look better with a nose stud. “I would totally go for Kuroo,” Shouyou continued. “But I have the Battle of the Bands tonight.”

Noya knew very well of Shouyou’s superstition. His face soured. “I almost forgot! Ah, that sucks.”

“I know,” Shouyou moaned. He pointed to his left nostril. “Here.”

“Got it.” Noya took a Sharpie and dotted the spot Shouyou had pointed out. He slid the pen into his back pocket and pulled out a pair of gloves. He slipped them on before reaching for the gun and bringing it to Shouyou’s nose. “Ready?”

Shouyou nodded, and the gun shot in. Shouyou barely even flinched.

Noya removed the gun and placed it on the desk of his station. He pulled up some soothing gel and smothered it on Shouyou’s nose.

“Hey, Hinata, does your superstition only deal with fucking? Like what if it’s just a hook up that doesn’t go too far.”

Shouyou’s eyes widened. He had never thought of that as an option.

“Do you think that’d be okay?”

“Hell yeah! If you don’t get carried away, you’ll be fine. Anyway, you’re an amazing singer. I’m sure tonight will be a success for you guys no matter what happens now.”

Shouyou smiled in thanks, but his mind began to race. Was it safe to risk his sacred vow for a possible loophole? If Kei learned that Shouyou had put their careers on the line just for one guy, he’d be slaughtered. Imagining Kei’s face if Shouyou slipped up once tonight made Shouyou shiver.

But if Shouyou kept his encounter with Kuroo to nothing more than what he did back in his high school years, he should be golden, and Kei would never know the better.

“I think I’ll meet up with him,” Shouyou said quietly.

“Yes!” Noya exclaimed. “Look at your senpai playing matchmaker.”

“You’re not my senpai anymore,” Shouyou said, grinning.

Noya scrunched his nose and threw one of his gloves at Shouyou. “Tell me that after you and Kuroo get it on. Now pay up, so you can get your ass over to the bar.”

“Fine, fine,” Shouyou laughed. He pulled out more money than the piercing called for, but he handed it off to Noya anyway. “Are you and Asahi stopping by tonight?”

“Of course we are!” He said nothing about the extra cash and slipped it in his back pocket. “We’d never miss one of your guys’ gigs.”

“You’re the best, Noya,” Shouyou said. He leaped out of his seat and glimpsed into the mirror. The circular stud looked pretty good on him, if he could say so himself.

“Now go get some.” With a snicker, Noya added, “But not too much.”

Shouyou waved off his old friend and left the tattoo shop smiling. Of course, the second he walked out, his eyes fell on the bar right across the way, The Night Owl. The windows were too dark to look in, but Shouyou hoped Kuroo was still in there. He should’ve been wishing that he wasn’t, because then Shouyou wouldn’t be risking his career for one thoughtless hook up that he’d probably forget in a week’s time.

Maybe Kuroo wasn’t interested in Shouyou at all. Kuroo could’ve just been a natural flirt, seducing everyone without even trying. All of this could just be caused by Shouyou being a little horny and delusional.

Not really knowing what to expect from entering the bar, Shouyou crossed the street, still indecisive over whether this was a good choice or not. Before he could think better of it, his hand was pushing open the Night Owl’s door.

…

Shouyou didn’t know who kissed who first or who led the other to the restroom, which was a single stall room with a lock, but he knew for a matter-of-fact that this risk was well worth it.

 _Kuroo’s intoxicating_ , Shouyou thought as the dark man trailed kisses down his tanned skin. Kuroo lingered on the curve of Shouyou’s neck and grazed his teeth on the sensitive skin.

Shouyou couldn’t hold back his whimper, and a wickedly beautiful grin formed on Kuroo’s lips. He snuck his hand under the hem of Shouyou’s shirt, lifting the fabric up as his hand inched up his skin. Most of Shouyou’s torso was revealed by the time Kuroo ran his fingers over Shouyou’s nipples.

“You’re a lot more muscular than you seem,” Kuroo said huskily, as he lowered his thumb to trace the outline of Shouyou’s abs. Even the simple touch of Kuroo had Shouyou’s pants tightening. Kuroo took notice and grinned.

“You get excited quickly, don’t you?”

Shouyou went red. He might’ve been enjoying this, but he had enough pride to show how seductive he could be, too.

Shouyou grabbed Kuroo’s face between his hands and dragged it to his lips. Their lips collided, and Shouyou wasted no time in parting Kuroo’s lips with his own and slipping his tongue in. Shouyou could still taste Kuroo’s smug grin on his lips.

Shouyou moved his hands so one buried itself in Kuroo’s abundance of hair. The other went behind Kuroo’s shirt, etching circles on the smooth skin at the dip of his back. Shouyou allowed his nails to lightly drag against Kuroo’s skin. Shouyou dragged Kuroo closer to him so that their chests were pressed together, and deepened their kiss.

Kuroo suddenly backed out of the kiss, and Shouyou panicked for a second. Had he done something wrong?

Kuroo’s hands dropped Shouyou’s shirt, but he moved them lower. He teasingly grazed the tight fabric at Shouyou’s crotch before running his hand down Shouyou’s inner thighs. “Open up.”

Shouyou realized Kuroo was talking about his legs. Shouyou complied, and immediately Kuroo thrust his hips forward, grinding his erection against Shouyou’s. Shouyou let out a pant as a rush of pleasure weakened his knees. He dug his nails into Kuroo’s skin, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Kuroo smashed his lips into Shouyou’s with so much force that Shouyou’s head bumped back into the wall. Kuroo was about to pull back and ask if Shouyou was alright, but Shouyou shifted his hand so he cupped the back of Kuroo’s head. He forced Kuroo’s lips to stay moving with his own. Shouyou’s head didn’t hurt when he was being consumed by the man in front of him.

They continued to kiss, but Kuroo now rolled his hips in a timed pattern with Shouyou. Moans slipped between kisses. Shouyou’s head was swimming with desire and pleasure, and he never wanted this to end.

When Kuroo stopped grinding his hips to dip his hand to palm Shouyou’s bulging crotch, Shouyou groaned in delight. The pressure down there was getting a little too much for him to bear.

Kuroo pulled his lips from their feverish kisses and dragged soft presses of lips up Shouyou’s jawline. “I don’t usually fuck in a public bathroom,” Kuroo murmured. “But you’re so worth it.” Then Kuroo tugged on Shouyou’s earlobe with his teeth, metal entering his mouth.

Kuroo undid Shouyou’s button and zipper before Shouyou could even take a breath. Kuroo didn’t remove Shouyou’s pants completely, but with more open space, he slipped his hand under the fabric of his underwear and gripped his growing length.

Shouyou gasped out, and Kuroo smirked. “You’re also a lot bigger than you seem, too.”

Kuroo ran his hand down Shouyou, and Shouyou quivered. Kuroo’s hand was so cold against his hot flesh. It sent thrills of pleasure through Shouyou’s veins. However, in the back of his mind, he knew he was getting too far. If he kept things going like this it wouldn’t be long before Shouyou had shunned his belief to success.

“W-wait,” Shouyou panted.

Kuroo kept his hand around Shouyou, but he paused. His eyes blinked back their hungry gleam to go serious. “Are you alright?”

Shouyou reddened at Kuroo’s concern. He didn’t want Kuroo to stop. If just making out with Kuroo had Shouyou already hazy with pleasure, he wondered what it was like to go all the way with him. If it had just been any other damn day…

“Can we stop?” Shouyou said, too ashamed to meet Kuroo’s eyes.

Kuroo sighed like a balloon that had just been popped by a needle. His hand left Shouyou’s semi-hard dick, and Shouyou almost took back his words to beg for more. God, he wanted Kuroo so much. Why did fate have to make them meet on this day?

“I’m so sorry,” Shouyou muttered. “It’s just that—”

“It’s okay,” Kuroo interjected, his low voice turning to ice. “I just thought that you were actually into it.”

“W-what?” Shouyou stuttered. “I was!”

Kuroo detached from Shouyou completely. “Oh, really? ‘Cause that’s not what I think when you shut me down just when things get moving.”

“I want to keep going, but I have…” Shouyou bit his lip. If he told Kuroo about his superstition, that’d make everything worse. Kuroo would probably think he was some freak and regret thinking of ever hooking up with him.

“Don’t force yourself to lie,” Kuroo sniped. “I can tell you’re not new to this kind of stuff, so if you’re too afraid to admit that you don’t want me, just get out of here. Now.”

“What?” Shouyou gasped. “But I can’t go out like this.” Shouyou flickered his eyes down to his bulging crotch.

“Well, neither can I,” Kuroo said, eyeing his own bulge. “And since you’re the one that doesn’t want this, you can go out. I need to finish up.”

Shouyou’s head was pounding. Just a minute ago things had been going so well. Kuroo’s taste still lingered in Shouyou’s mouth, but now it turned bitter as the man folded his arms across his broad chest.

“Go,” Kuroo said.

Shouyou hated it, but he felt tears sting in his eyes. He didn’t want to give Kuroo the satisfaction of seeing him cry, so with as much dignity as a man in his situation could, Shouyou zipped up his pants, doing his best to ignore his blatant erection, and stormed out of the bathroom.

He had been stupid to give this a try when he knew he couldn’t go too far. He should’ve told Kuroo right off the bat he wasn’t looking for too much, but Shouyou had been so caught up in the moment. And what gave Kuroo the right to turn into such an asshole. So what if Shouyou didn’t want to move too fast—though he truly did want to see what it was like to fuck Kuroo. What was the problem with that?

 _He’s an asshole,_ Shouyou told himself. _An asshole that seems like a really good fuck, but an asshole all the same._

No matter how many times he repeated this in his head, tears started falling down his flushed cheeks before he even reached the Night Owl’s door.

He was never going to think of making out with a guy on performance days again if all it gave Shouyou was a headache, a throbbing dick, and tears.

 


	2. No You Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay when I said Kuroo was a year older than canon, the same goes for Bokuto and Oikawa. And Shouyou’s band is really close, hence the use of first names amongst everyone.

“Your nose ring looks fucking stupid,” Kei said, after giving Shouyou a single glance.

“Thanks,” Shouyou said through clenched teeth. He shouldered off the bag he had rushed to pick up from his apartment and tossed it to the floor before collapsing into a fold-out chair. He had been the last in the band to arrive at one of the backstage rooms of the venue they were to play at.

“Don’t listen to Tsukki,” Tadashi chided. “You know he’s just kidding.”

“I know.” And Shouyou did. Kei had never grown out of his taunting demeanor even after high school, but Shouyou had come to learn that he only did it to show his affection for his friends.

Kei grunted and took another glance at Shouyou. Suddenly, a smug smile spread on his lips, and Shouyou’s gut tightened as he waited for whatever was going to come.

“Nice hickey,” Kei laughed.

Shouyou shot his hand up to where Kei was looking—his neck—and blushed bright red.

“I—”

Kei raised his hand. “Don’t want to hear about your sex life.”

“What about your pledge?” Kenma asked. He looked up from his video game for the first time since Shouyou entered the room. “I thought you couldn’t have sex on performance nights after what happened?”

Kei’s amusement snapped away in a second. Underneath his glasses, he glared at Shouyou. “So?”

“I thought you didn’t want to hear about my sex life,” Shouyou tried joking.

Kei’s eyes darkened, and Shouyou rushed to explain.

“Nothing happened. Just a make-out session.” With more emphasis, Shouyou said, “That’s it.”

Even if Shouyou’s bandmates didn’t believe in his superstition, they relaxed at his words. They had lived through his awful hiccup disaster alongside him, and they had been with Shouyou when they were told to find a new club to play at after Shouyou had made a laughing stock out of the club. That night had scarred all of them and created a large, metaphorical hiccup in their careers.

But now they were here in Tokyo, playing at one of the most popular clubs in the bustling city and competing for the chance to sign with a big time music label. There were five bands that had made it this far in Tokyo’s Battle of the Bands, and the next three days would decide the victor.

There was a knock on the door Shouyou had just come through.

“Come in,” Tadashi called.

The door opened, and a stout man peeped his head through the crack. “Yo, guys. Just wanna give you the heads up that you’re going on first tonight, ‘ight. So it’d be awesome if we could get you guys doing some test runs ASAP since there’s only like an hour left before the show.”

“Give us a few minutes,” Kei muttered.

“No problem, man.”

“Thanks!” Tadashi said, as the man closed the door.

“First band of the night!” Shouyou exclaimed.

“That will either ruin or make us,” Kei said, as he stood up and pulled his black drumsticks out from his back pocket.

Like he did before every performance, Kei went up to Shouyou and drummed a quick beat on Shouyou’s head.

“ _OW_ ,” Shouyou growled, but did nothing to stop Kei. If not sleeping with someone was Shouyou’s pre-performance superstition, drumming on Shouyou’s head was Kei’s.

Kei ended his drumming session by flipping one drumstick in the air before catching it and slamming it down on Shouyou’s skull.

Shouyou clutched his throbbing head and howled. “What the hell?”

“That was for extra luck,” Kei said, with a smirk.

“I hate you,” Shouyou spat. He rubbed his sore head once more before pulling up from his own seat.

Kenma powered off his video game with a sigh. “What song are we starting off with?”

“I got to pick last time,” Shouyou said, “so it’s Tadashi’s turn.”

The band always went in a circle for who picked the first and last song in the line-up. The songs in between were then decided by Kei, who was in charge of starting the beat, but since this round of the Battle of the Bands was limited to only two songs each band—and one of the songs had to be a cover of a British band to go with the gig’s British theme—Tadashi’s pick would be the single original work shown tonight.

Tadashi’s eyes flickered between the group. He scratched the back of his head and smiled. “I don’t really care. You guys should choose.”

“Come on,” Kei urged. “Pick whatever you think will get the best reaction from the crowd.”

“Uh…” Tadashi stared at the floor as he searched for the perfect song. Shouyou had one in mind, but he had been the one to pick the British song. He still couldn’t get all lyrics’ pronunciations right, but it sounded a lot better than it did two weeks ago when the night’s theme had been revealed.

After a minute’s delay, Tadashi hesitantly asked, “Would _Smokescreen Daze_ work?”

“Yes!” Shouyou jumped. He had been hoping Tadashi would pick that song.

“I like that song,” Kenma said quietly.

“It’ll work,” Kei said, with a shrug. That meant he approved, too.

Tadashi’s face broke into a smile that could’ve illuminated the entire venue. “Really?”

“Totally!” Shouyou exclaimed.

“Should we get going, then?” Kei asked. “If we don’t hurry, I’ll have to warm up on Shouyou again.”

Shouyou clamped his hands around his head, which was finally starting to stop thrumming with pain, and rushed towards the door. “Hurry up!”

Shouyou shoved the door open and bounced out of the backstage room. As he waited for his bandmates to follow after him, he peered down the hallway holding four rooms for the other bands. When he had entered the venue through the back door earlier, no one from the other bands had been outside their rooms. Even now, no one surfaced from their rooms.

“Can we stop by and say hi to—”

“No,” Kei said, as he emerged from the room. “We can see them at the after party.”

“But I want to wish them good luck,” Shouyou groaned.

“No,” Kei repeated. He started down the other hallway leading to the stage. Tadashi was a step behind him. “Just text them that. We should go warm up soon so you don’t suck during the performance.”

“I won’t suck,” Shouyou snapped. He moved to follow the line of his bandmates as they filed down to the stage. He pulled out his phone and texted quick good luck texts to the three other people he knew that were also in the Battle of the Bands.

For some reason, when Shouyou tucked his phone away, he thought of Kuroo. The man slipped into his thoughts without warning, and Shouyou’s skin began to burn as he remembered how close he had been to breaking his pledge just to feel that guy inside him.

Shouyou glimpsed at his bandmates and realized he had been stupid to even think about forsaking his promise. This—his band, his future—was far more important than one fuck with a hot guy that had incredibly smooth lips and warm hands. Especially when that guy had the capability to make Shouyou cry.

With this in mind, he clenched his fists and held his head high as he entered the curtained backstage.

…

“Bro, why do you look so pissed?”

“I’m not pissed,” Tetsurou snapped.

“Wow, chill, dude,” Kou said, raising his hands up defensively. “Just asking.”

Tetsurou let out a heavy breath and ran his fingers through his hair, making an even greater mess out of it than usual. “Sorry, man.”

“Stressed?” Kou asked.

Tetsurou knew that wasn’t the case. He had been in this situation enough times to know what it felt like. Stress wasn’t a problem anymore. What was a problem was that damn shorty with the nose piercing. Tetsurou only had to close his eyes to imagine the bright-haired guy taking initiative and forcing his mouth on Tetsurou’s.

Not wanting to talk to Kou about the whole failure of a hookup and humiliation of being ditched in a public bathroom with a raging boner, Tetsurou nodded. “Yeah, stress.”

“Then, do you really want to go out to watch the first performance?” Kou raised his phone to show a screen full of texts. “Tooru has been texting me non-stop since the first band went up. He keeps saying how they actually might be a threat to us. Not to freak you out, of course! Just a heads up.”

“No, I’m fine,” Tetsurou said, as he pulled himself from his fold-out chair. Maybe it would be better if he watched some of the other bands perform. It would get his mind off of the guy, Hinata, as Nishinoya had called him.

“Sweet!” Kou exclaimed. “Let’s go. Tooru just texted that they’ll be done with their first song soon.”

“Great,” Tetsurou muttered. He followed Kou as the spiky haired man rushed out of the backstage rooms toward another door leading deeper into the venue. “Now we can listen to them probably rasp out some awful English.”

Kou smirked. “We’re lucky Tooru is majoring in Business _and_ English Literature.” He extended a fist out to Tetsurou. “We got this in the bag, bro.”

“Yeah, bro,” Tetsurou said, meeting the fist with a smile.

Kou opened the looming door, and instantly, a roaring wave of music blasted Tetsurou’s ears. Behind the door, Tetsurou hadn’t been able to make out the exact beat of the first song of the night. Now he could hear the steady thrum of a drum before a guitar took over for a solo.

“Let’s go up,” Kou said, gesturing to the stairs right by the backstage door, which was manned by a beefy looking guard that didn’t smile as the band members passed. “Tooru’s there, and he saved some seats for us.”

“Are you sure?” Tetsurou asked. “I’m sure a bunch of girls have crowded him by now.”

“Nah, he’s incognito.”

Before Tetsurou could ask, he stepped off the stairs to the second floor and caught sight of Tooru.

“He’s a fucking idiot,” Tetsurou said under his breath.

Kou laughed and made his way to the two empty seats towards the center of the venue.

Tetsurou kept his eyes on Tooru the entire walk over. Tooru’s ‘incognito’ was not what anyone would ever think of wearing to keep a low profile. He wore a camouflage beanie to hide his chestnut brown hair, and a pair of oversized Ray Bans covered half of his face. Despite the sweltering heat emitted by the bustling crowd, he had on a black turtleneck underneath a rainbow windbreaker.

While several eyes kept glancing over Tooru, no one dared to approach him. There was a cluster of open seats around him, and Tetsurou and Kou took the ones on either side of him.

“You look—”

“Shh!” Tooru hissed, waving his hand at Tetsurou’s face. “I’m listening.”

Tetsurou had completely forgotten about the band Tooru had been ranting to Kou about. Tetsurou hadn’t even given them a glance.

The first band’s song ended with a strum of a guitar. Tetsurou glanced to the stage just in time to see one of the band members rush behind stage. The three other members didn’t seem too fazed by their disappearing bandmate.

Tetsurou grinned at the sight of Kenma Kozume. His hair was just like how it was in high school, but now the blond tips were dyed cobalt.

Tetsurou had been close to Kenma when they were young, and in high school, the two even got to play volleyball together. They had been good friends, but since Tetsurou graduated, the two mainly kept close through texts and calls.

Kenma had told Tetsurou about his band two years after Tetsurou graduated. At the time, Tetsurou had been with Tooru and Kou for a few months, and they were playing a few gigs in Tokyo. Originally, they were only doing it for the money, and for Tooru, the fucks he’d get out of it. Okay, Tetsurou enjoyed picking up some hot fans, too. But then they had been repeatedly told that they had what it takes to go big, and the group started to believe that.

After Kenma had called Tetsurou about his own band entering the Battle of the Bands, Tetsurou urged his two bandmates to give the competition to try. None of them thought they’d make it to the final round, but now that they were here, they were in mutual agreement to win the entire thing. Even if that meant Kenma would lose.

“You said you know the bassist, right?” Kou asked Tetsurou.

Tetsurou nodded and looked away from the stage.

“Yeah. We’ve been friends for a while.” Tetsurou peered over to Tooru, who had reclined back into his seat as the band waited for their missing member. “How has he been doing?”

Tooru looked to Tetsurou. “Who?”

Tetsurou leaned out of his seat and ripped the sunglasses off of Tooru.

“My disguise!” Tooru cried, as Tetsurou tossed the excessive accessory to the floor.

“I can’t take you seriously when you look like that,” Tetsurou said, with a nonchalant shrug. “Anyway, how was the band’s bassist?”

“Bassist?” Tooru raised an eyebrow. “Oh, your friend? He’s good. The whole band is. But they have this amazing singer.”

Tetsurou exchanged a look with Kou. Tooru rarely complimented fellow vocalists.

Before Tetsurou could ask more about the singer, the crowd started to cheer.

“Who’s ready for the next song?”

Tetsurou felt his body go cold. He knew that voice. Not very well, but he had definitely heard it recently.

Tetsurou didn’t want to see what he knew was there, but he still looked to the stage where the fourth band member reappeared with his new nose ring gleaming under the intense lights.

“I don’t know if you guys knew this was happening, but since this gig’s theme is British Take Over, our next song will be a cover of a British band’s.” Hinata smiled sheepishly, his lips tugging back to reveal a bright row of teeth. Tetsurou couldn’t stop himself from remembering those lips melting against his own. “Sorry if my English is bad.”

“Holy fuck,” Tetsurou swore.

“What’s wrong?” Kou asked.

Tetsurou rushed out, “Nothing.”

Tooru gave Tetsurou a wry grin. “You think he’s hot too, don’t you?”

“What?” Tetsurou asked, feigning confusion when in actuality sirens were blasting in his mind. How the hell did this happen? The guy he had been determined to fuck earlier today ending up to be his rival. This had to be a joke.

“So you _do_ think he’s hot.” Tooru waggled his eyebrows and stuck out his tongue. “Too bad. I saw him first so I’m going after him.”

Tetsurou’s whole body went rigid, and he spoke without thinking. “No way.”

Tooru was taken aback by Tetsurou’s sharp tone, and even Tetsurou was shocked by the growl he made. Why did he even care about Hinata? The guy had left him high and dry in a public bathroom. Tetsurou should be urging Tooru to go after him just so he would suffer what Tetsurou did. But that also meant Tooru would taste Hinata and touch his smooth skin just as Tetsurou did, and for some reason, the thought made Tetsurou angry.

Tooru opened his mouth when Hinata spoke again.

“Our next song is by a band called Franz Ferdinand.” Hinata glanced over his shoulder to the band’s drummer, who gave him a single nod. Hinata faced back to the stage, glowing with confidence. “This is _No You Girls._ ”

“Yo, Tooru, could you translate the lyrics for us?” Kou asked, as the band launched into steady beat. “I want to know what their song’s saying.”

“Sure, sure,” Tooru said, completely forgetting about Tetsurou.

Tetsurou’s stare was transfixed on Hinata as he moved with the building music. He was wearing different clothes from the afternoon, but there was no mistaking the fire-hair of his.

Hinata reached forward and grabbed the mic with two hands, and Tetsurou leaned forward in his seat.

Hinata spoke in surprisingly good English. Tetsurou had no clue what he said until Tooru quickly translated.

“Oh, kiss me,” Tooru translated, an amused smile spreading on his lips. “Flick your cigarette, then kiss me.”

Tooru went on, but Tetsurou tuned him out. Of course Hinata would pick a song that started off like that. Now Tetsurou couldn’t stop picturing Hinata kissing him and digging his fingers into his hair and moaning as Tetsurou grinded himself against the other.

Tetsurou rubbed his fingers against his temples. He needed to get Hinata out of his mind, but doing that wasn’t easy when the guy was right in front of him singing with a damn sexy voice. It was strong and sultry, and as he sang, he swayed with the beat.

Just as Tetsurou rid himself of the image of Hinata during their intense make-out session, the song reached its chorus. Hinata removed the mic from its stand and started to saunter around the stage.

“No you girls never know,” Tooru went on, “how you make a boy feel.”

As Tooru said this, Hinata took one hand off the mic and tangled it with his shirt. He continued to sing, but with every word out of his mouth, he lifted the hem of his shirt. The whole audience caught a glimpse of the abs Tetsurou had been running his hands over only hours ago, and a crowd of girls in front of the stage screamed so loud it could match the hammering beat of Tetsurou’s heart.

“How you make a boy feel,” Tooru said, as Hinata finished the chorus. The band played without Hinata’s alluring voice for a few seconds in which Tooru used to say, “Oh, I bet you can make a boy feel real good.”

He can, Tetsurou wanted to say. The make-out session from earlier played in his mind all over again, but now it kept going. Hinata had never told him to stop, and the other boy continued to moan and whimper as Tetsurou jerked him off. Tetsurou pictured himself gathering Hinata into his arms so his legs were wrapped around Tetsurou’s waist. Then Tetsurou would shove him against the wall and fuck the daylights out of him.

Tetsurou became aware of a heat spreading in the front of his pants. He glanced down and panicked as he saw a bulge forming at his crotch.

“Shit,” Tetsurou whispered.

“What is it?” Kou asked.

Not wanting to have his bandmates catch him with a boner just from looking at Hinata, Tetsurou didn’t respond. He just shot up out of his seat and darted back to the backstage room. Kou and Tooru were calling for him, but Tetsurou thundered down the stairs.

“Fuck this,” Tetsurou swore, as he tried to pull down his shirt so it covered the front of his pants. Before he passed through the guard and the door, Tetsurou’s eyes flickered over to the stage and Hinata, who was back to singing. Tetsurou’s stare burned into Hinata. “And fuck you.” Tetsurou got a nod from the guard, and he wrenched the backstage door open. “Seriously, fuck you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished writing this thanks to inspiration from the house concert I went to last night lol. Hope you enjoyed! More to come, but don't expect anything for a while, as my soccer team is in national cup for the next couple of weekends and I have to study for upcoming AP Exams and SAT Subject Tests. So sorry!:(


	3. Supermassive Black Hole

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please listen to Supermassive Black Hole by Muse (preferably live so you get the gist) for this chapter if you have the chance. It is a great song and well it would help to know it for the chapter haha.

Shouyou emerged from the backstage area with a victorious whoop. He passed through the door and its security guard in one leap forward.

“That was amazing!” he exclaimed.

Despite leaving the stage at least twenty minutes ago, his heart continued to hammer with adrenaline. His veins burned just from the memory of standing on that glistening stage.

Tonight’s performance was like nothing Shouyou had ever experienced before. Yeah, he was always pumped to be on stage, but it had been different tonight. This was _the_ Battle of the Bands, the competition that could send Shouyou and his bandmates to fame. If they won this, Claws and the Ripped Wings could be Japan’s next hit band.

Shouyou had expected to be overflowing with nerves when he took the stage, but if anything, the glare of the lights had washed out any doubt Shouyou had felt in being there. He belonged on the stage, with the crowd roaring for him, with Kei, Tadashi, and Kenma at his side. Being on stage in that moment had reminded Shouyou that even though his first dream—the first thing he had ever wanted with every fiber of his being—had been utterly decimated, this new dream was in his grasp, and it all came down to if Shouyou had the talent to make it through the last stretch.

And after singing his heart out for the crowd and the judges, he knew he had to win. He absolutely had to.

“We’re off the stage already,” Kei groaned, as Shouyou jumped into the air again. “So stop jumping around.”

Shouyou made a point in leaping extra high in his next step.

“Uh, guys.”

Kenma’s voice paused Shouyou’s ecstatic leaps and bounds. Shouyou peeked back to see what had Kenma away from his video game. Usually, right after performances, Kenma went straight back to his virtual world.

Kenma’s eyes were fixated on the stage, which was vacant of performers at the moment.

“My friend is going on next. I think I’ll go to the front to watch him.”

“You mean the pit?” Shouyou asked. “I’ll go with you!”

“Me too!” Tadashi piped.

Kei shook his head. “If all you kids are going, it looks like I have no choice.”

Kenma gave a sheepish smile as Shouyou grabbed his arm and led him to the front of the stage. Getting there involved a lot of pushing, shoving, and intense glaring between the audience and Kei. The glare-offs hardly lasted a second; with one look at Kei’s seething expression, the members of the audience backed off with an apology on their lips.

“You don’t need to be so mean, Kei,” Shouyou taunted.

“I’m the reason you’ve made it this far into the damn pit,” Kei spat.

He was telling the truth. Shouyou stopped dragging Kenma upon noticing that they were dead center of the stage. They lined up perfectly with the mic stand positioned on stage for the next vocalist to come up. If Shouyou just leaned past the security guards barricading the stage from the audience, he could touch the polished wood he had stood on not too long ago.

“How do you know someone is this band again?” Tadashi asked Kenma.

Kenma stuffed his hands deep into his pockets. “We’re childhood friends and went to Nekoma together for a year, but I haven’t seen him for a while. We might go out for drinks after this to catch up.”

“That’s nice!” Shouyou exclaimed.

“What’s his name?” Tadashi asked. “If he went to Nekoma, we might know who he is.”

“Ah, he was a third year when I was a first year, so he graduated before any of you were at Karasuno. But his name is—”

“Good evening, everyone!” a voice called from the stage.

Shouyou, who had shifted his focus to listen to Kenma, swung around and watched as the next band emerged from backstage. His excitement, like his breath, stopped as soon as caught sight of the band members.

The last of the three band members to file out from backstage was none other than Kuroo.

Shouyou staggered back a step in shock, bumping into Kei. Kei muttered some insult at him, but Shouyou had gone deaf to the world around him.

Shouyou rubbed at his eyes profusely, hoping that when he opened them, he would see that the band member wasn’t Kuroo after all, just someone who looked a lot like him.

However, when Shouyou dropped his hands—which he didn’t notice to be shaking—he found that there was no mistaking it. The man on the stage was definitely the same Kuroo he had made-out with in a public bathroom.

“Damn everything,” Shouyou swore under his breath.

Only Kenma heard.

“What’s wrong?” Kenma asked.

“N-nothing,” Shouyou stuttered.

Once the three band members were on stage, they moved as an organized unit to the edge of the wooden flooring, straight for where Shouyou stood with his bandmates.

Shouyou spun his body so his back was to the stage. He stood directly in front of Kenma, unintentionally obscuring the other man’s sight.

“This venue is huge,” Shouyou began to ramble. “I mean look at it! And so nice. The tech guys are also doing great with the lighting. Don’t you think?”

“Um, do you think you could move over a bit?” Kenma asked, his voice barely audible over the screaming crowd.

Shouyou used this to his advantage. “What did you say?”

Kenma repeated, raising his voice the slightest bit. Shouyou, used to Kenma’s quietness, could easily hear him, but continued his ignorance.

“Sorry, Kenma,” Shouyou said. He leaned closer to Kenma, as if he was trying to get in hearing distance of Kenma. “One more time.”

“Get out of his way for fuck’s sake,” Kei interjected suddenly.

Before Shouyou could protest, Kei seized Shouyou by his shoulders and jutted his smaller body back around so he was facing the stage again.

And dead straight of Shouyou was Kuroo.

Shouyou didn’t know what to expect when Kuroo spotted him. Would he be amused, horrified, or angry? Maybe a combination of all three after what had happened between them earlier. Shouyou’s stomach churned sickeningly in wait of Kuroo’s reaction, the anticipation turning his intestines to lead.

But the eye contact never came. Kuroo seemed to have skipped the front row completely. His glistening orbs of pitch stared off to the deeper rows. He lazily waved his hand and revealed his lavish smirk, never once meeting Shouyou’s eyes.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen,” one of Kuroo’s bandmates said.

Shouyou desperately kept his eyes on Kuroo, hoping that Kuroo would find him in the vast sea of people. Shouyou found that he no longer cared whether the dark man would be furious or hysterical over seeing him again. He just wanted to lose himself in Kuroo’s eyes, just like he had earlier that day.

“We’re Wednesdays with Lunatics,” the front man continued.

Kei snorted. “What kind of name is that?”

Tadashi laughed in agreement.

“I’m Oikawa Tooru, the amazing lead singer _and_ guitarist of our band. With me is none other than _the_ Bokuto Koutarou, our bassist, and of course, we can’t forget our outstanding drummer, Kuroo Testurou.”

Shouyou caught Kenma clapping for Kuroo’s introduction.

“You know Kuroo?” Shouyou exclaimed over the roar of the audience.

Kenma nodded before narrowing his eyes at Shouyou. “How do you know him?”

“I, uh—”

Shouyou was saved from the awkward response by Oikawa’s singsong voice.

“Our first song is called _Ashes of the Heart_.” Oikawa held up a peace sign and childishly stuck out his tongue. “Hope you all enjoy.”

The band began to rush to their positions, but right before going to his own, Kuroo’s eyes jumped over Shouyou and landed straight on Kenma.

“Good to see you, Kenma!”

Then he was striding towards the drum set.

Shouyou couldn’t stop his jaw from dropping. “He’s ignoring me!”

“Who?” Tadashi asked, eyes wandering around the encompassing crowd.

Shouyou was going to fabricate some kind of lie, but Kei had caught Shouyou’s stares.

“The attention whore is just upset because that drummer didn’t look his way and get captivated by his shimmering amber eyes,” Kei said, sarcasm bittersweet on his tongue.

“That’s not it!” Shouyou exclaimed.

“Then what is it?” Kei asked, that taunting laugh lacing his icy voice. “It’s not like you’ve ever met the guy before.”

Shouyou went beet red at the memory of Kuroo’s mouth melting against his own. He tried to look away, but Kei was too sharp. He always was.

“Oh, God.” Kei shook his head either in denial or to remove the images of Kuroo and Shouyou that had to be passing through his mind. “Do not tell me that guy was the same one you hooked up with today.”

“Well, uh—”

Kenma’s eyes went wide, but Kei was already shouting.

“Damn it, you slept with the enemy.”

“I told you I didn’t sleep with him!” Shouyou yelled back. “We just made-out.”

“Good thing they didn’t bang because these guys are pretty good,” Tadashi said. He jabbed his finger in the direction of the stage. “It looks like we’re going to need Shouyou’s superstitions to win this thing.”

Without Shouyou noticing the music that blasted from the speakers, Wednesdays with Lunatics was already halfway through _Ashes of the Heart._

Before Shouyou’s eyes was the lead singer and guitarist of the band, Oikawa Tooru, as he had introduced himself. Shouyou was about to avert his stare until he realized Oikawa was meeting his eyes. Shouyou’s eyes froze after catching Oikawa peering down at him.

Shouyou expected Oikawa to switch his stare to someone else in the audience, but Oikawa continued to hold his gaze with Shouyou, even as he moved his fingers at a rapid pace along the strings of his Les Paul and sing out the song’s lyrics into the mic headset with his smooth, beguiling voice.

“But, oh, babe, you’re like a fire in my heart

An inferno of love and hell

It must be an art

The way you tear me apart

Yes, your flames eat at my chest,

A dark mess of soot and ash

You never let our arguments rest.”

Oikawa spun away to hammer out intricate notes along with the song’s beat, but not before flashing Shouyou a wink.

The wink caught Shouyou unprepared, but once the gesture registered in his mind, his chest tightened. A rush of blood flooded to his cheeks, and he couldn’t understand why. He was used to flirting and everything, he was even good at it himself. So how could one simple, slightly awkward, wink throw him off?

“Moving on from one guy to the next, like always,” Kei muttered.

“Am not,” Shouyou bit, but his cheeks refused to stop stinging with brightness.

It had to be because Shouyou was a little—less than a little, a fraction of a little—hurt by the fact that Kuroo had blatantly ignored him. Not like that should bother him. Kuroo was a dick after all. A really hot dick that seemed like a hell of a good fuck, but a dick all the same.

But Oikawa was hot too, now that Shouyou was paying more attention to him. While Kuroo was lethal beauty, Oikawa was regal. Even as he head banged his way through the rest of his guitar’s rampage, he maintained a handsome appearance. His chestnut hair was styled to haphazard perfection. Not like Kuroo’s hair, which looked more like some sexy demon that had just woken up from an eternity long’s nap.

Oikawa’s eyes were almost the same color as his hair, but they gleamed with exhilaration. A smile spread wide on his lips, and every step he took around the stage had a slight hop in them.

It was obvious that he loved the stage, just like Shouyou.

As Oikawa strummed the last chord of the song and hummed the lyrics to a steady silence, the crowd began to roar. Despite Wednesdays with Lunatics being one of their rivals in the competition, Shouyou joined in the thunderous applause, as did Kenma.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Kei shouted, thumping his hand down on the backs of Shouyou’s and Kenma’s heads. “They’re our opponents. You shouldn’t be cheering for them.”

“But they were good,” Kenma mumbled.

“Yeah,” Shouyou said. He purposely continued to clap. “We’re just acting humble.”

“You,” Kei said, jabbing his finger into Shouyou’s chest, “are only applauding because after this you’re going to try to get laid by either the drummer or the singer. Why not make it a threesome? Or even better, throw in the bassist, too.”

“Shut up!” Shouyou howled. He grabbed Kei’s arm and threw it aside. “You always peg me as this whore that loves sex when you and Tadashi fuck whenever you have the chance.”

“Shouyou!” Tadashi gasped, every inch of his freckled face filling with color.

Kei dropped his infuriated look for one of bewilderment. He blinked back in surprise, and the slightest creep of red stained his sharp cheeks.

Once regaining his composure, Kei took a threatening step forward. He narrowed his eyes and asked, “What did you just say?”

“Just get off my case, okay?” Shouyou said, followed by an irritated groan.

To Shouyou’s relief, Kei stayed silent.

After the audience settled, Oikawa spoke into his headset. “To go with the theme of tonight, we’ll be performing a song by the British band Muse.” Oikawa peeked at his two other bandmates, and Shouyou made the mistake of letting his eyes wander.

In the time between the first song and now, Kuroo had managed to take off his shirt. Shouyou knew firsthand how hot the stage could get during performances, but was stripping really necessary? Did Kuroo really have to reveal those taut muscles of his abdomen that formed a heavenly six-pack to the whole audience?

Kuroo spun the drumsticks in his fingers before giving Oikawa a nod. It might’ve been Shouyou’s imagination, but when looking at Oikawa, Kuroo’s face had darkened.

“This is _Supermassive Black Hole_ ,” Oikawa said.

The sound of Oikawa’s voice successfully snatched Shouyou’s attention away from Kuroo. Meeting his eyes wasn’t a shirtless man, but it might as well have been.

While Shouyou had been bickering with Kei, Oikawa must’ve gone backstage for a second for a sip of water. It seemed he had forgotten how to drink, because the front of his white T-shirt with a green extraterrestrial at its center was damp. The thin fabric now clung to his skin, revealing that Oikawa had an admirable torso of his own.

Oikawa gingerly pressed his fingers on the strings of his Les Paul. He strummed to create a long but quiet note to precede the English song.

Suddenly, Oikawa changed the note from one of prolonged gentleness to a pulsing beat that blasted through the speakers.

No lyrics emerged from Oikawa’s lips for the first twenty or so seconds of the song, but the lack of words did nothing but glorify the skill each of the band members of Wednesdays with Lunatics possessed. The bassist didn’t have as apparent of a role in the song as the others, but he sustained a steady support for the song. Meanwhile, Oikawa and Kuroo poured their hearts into their eminent parts of the song. Oikawa, while not singing a word, kept up with the complex guitar chords while never breaking away from his exalted saunter around the stage. His smile was still on his lips. If anything, it had grown even wider.

Oikawa’s fingers elegantly made their way to the exact position they needed to be in in order to release the thrumming music that made the speakers—and the back of Shouyou’s knees— quiver.

Meanwhile, Kuroo struck the drum with open joy on his face. His smirk played on his lips, and his ebony eyes shined as the beat progressed. He slammed his head along with the pace he created from the drum set, messing up his hair in an even more attractive way than before.

The emptiness of words was broken as Oikawa stopped bounding across the stage. He paused right in front of Shouyou and stood at the ledge of the stage.

While retaining his mastery of the guitar, Oikawa suavely dropped to his knees. His eyes locked onto Shouyou as he began to sing.

Shouyou couldn’t understand the English that came out of Oikawa’s God-blessed throat, but if he could, he would’ve heard extremely inviting lyrics.

“ _Oh, baby, don’t you know I suffer?_

_Oh, baby, can you hear me moan?_

_You caught me under false pretenses_

_How long before you let me go?_

_Oo-ah, you set my soul alight_ ”

Not once while singing did Oikawa’s stare waver. His luminescent eyes found Shouyou and swallowed him and his heart whole.

Shouyou was too captivated by the man in front of him to force his eyes away. He was so unaware of everything else in the venue that he missed Kuroo slipping up on the drum’s beat upon noticing Oikawa’s passionate gaze with Shouyou.

Oikawa pulled himself back onto his feet and reluctantly turned his head to look at the rest of the crowd. He continued to sing in that bewitching voice while pacing around the stage.

The moment Oikawa’s eyes left him, Shouyou released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

Kenma leaned over to Shouyou. Shouyou readied himself for pestering questions over the singer-guitarist’s interest in him, but instead, Kenma asked, “Do you know what the lyrics are saying?”

Shouyou listened as Oikawa sung out,

“ _Glaciers melting in the dead of night_

 _And the superstars sucked into the supermassive_ ”

“No clue,” Shouyou admitted, as the ramble of words went over his head. “He has a really nice voice, though.”

Kenma nodded before moving back to his original position.

Oikawa rasped out more words before exploding into a riff that made the crowd roar with more strength. Shouyou’s ears throbbed at the screams encompassing him, but once Oikawa began singing again, he was able to tune everyone else out and focus on just his voice.

The song came to an end after a long note from Oikawa’s throat. The crowd cheered so loud Shouyou was sure they’d bring the place down. He wasn’t ashamed of joining the ruckus of the applause again.

While the crowd cheered, Oikawa slung the guitar from his shoulder. He carefully settled it on the floor and wiped a line of sweat from his brow. Then, to no one’s anticipation, he went sprinting towards the crowd.

Oikawa leaped from the stage with a yelp of glee and was engulfed by the arms of his fans. He had jumped so far that he had flown over Shouyou and the rest of the first row. Shouyou spun around to watch Oikawa crowd surf, but the mountainous bodies around him shunned him of any such sights.

Shouyou bounced into the air and found Oikawa surfing a few rows back. The hands that held him high wandered in some pretty private places, but that endearing smile of Oikawa’s never faltered.

A warmth spread in Shouyou’s chest at the single smile, and he came back down to his feet ready to jump and get another glimpse at that genuine smile. He was prevented from leaping though by a quick tap from Tadashi.

“Yeah?” Shouyou asked.

Tadashi pointed to the backstage door. “We should get our stuff from the room.”

“Good point!” Shouyou had almost forgotten about his bag in the backroom. He had his phone and apartment key in there.

“Hurry up and go,” Kei said, rubbing his temples. “Whenever I’m around you too long, I have the need for a beer.”

Shouyou made a face at Kei but took a step to leave the pit. However, before clearing a considerable distance, the 200-centimeter guy standing behind Shouyou dropped a body straight onto him. Even with his quick reflexes, Shouyou was helpless as the body came crashing down.

Shouyou hit the floor. Hard. The impact was only made worse by the falling body colliding into his own.

The air left Shouyou’s chest, and he remained sprawled out on the ground in defeat.

The muscled body shot up from Shouyou’s back. “I’m so sorry!”

Shouyou’s returning breath caught in his throat. That voice didn’t sound much different than how it did when singing.

Shouyou craned his head and found Oikawa kneeling at his side.

“Ah, I-I’m fine,” Shouyou rushed. He pushed himself to his knees and started dusting off the grime on his shirt, putting careful effort to not meet Oikawa’s eyes. On stage, it had been okay for him to share an intimate stare with the singer-guitarist because Shouyou was out of reach. But right now, with Oikawa right next to him, Shouyou didn’t know what he’d do if those eyes met his.

Oikawa put a hand on Shouyou’s back, making Shouyou almost jump out of his skin.

“Are you sure?” Oikawa rubbed his warm hand up and down Shouyou’s back. Shouyou knew it was supposed to comfort him, but all it did was make him hot all over.

“That sounded like it really hurt,” Oikawa went on.

“D-don’t worry about me.” Shouyou scooted away from Oikawa so his hand fell from his back. “I’m perfectly—”

Shouyou was cut off as a firm hand cupped the back of his head. With one pull, Shouyou was partially spun around, and before he could comprehend what was happening, Oikawa’s lips were pressing onto his own.

The kiss was so quick Shouyou would’ve thought it was his imagination if it weren’t for how it made him feel.

Oikawa’s lips were pliant and soft. He tenderly pressed those lush lips against Shouyou’s. It was a sweet kiss, something Shouyou hadn’t had for a while. He hadn’t expected to miss such a simple thing, but after Oikawa’s lips were gone, he longed for more sweet kisses roaming over the rest of his body.

But then, overriding the candy-rotting sweetness of Oikawa’s kiss, was a tug at Shouyou’s hair. It made Shouyou release a quiet gasp. That was what Shouyou was used to. Rough, hard, demanding love. Love that consumed him and left him wanting more.

Oikawa’s warm smile slipped into a mischievous grin. “Meet me at the Blue Light Bar after this is over,” Oikawa cocked his head to the side, his voluminous hair lulling along with it, “okay?”

Then Oikawa was on his feet, climbing his way back to the stage. The bassist heaved Oikawa onto the wooden flooring, laughing as he did so.

Shouyou glanced over to the figure next to the bassist, and the warmth of Oikawa’s kiss and the blaze he had set off by pulling his hair froze over in a millisecond.

Kuroo had finally met Shouyou’s eyes, and there was no amusement, horror, or anger in them. They were absolutely empty, the skeleton of the sly looks Kuroo had cast Shouyou earlier that day.

Kuroo opened his mouth to say something but seemed to decide otherwise. With no thanks to the audience, he turned on his heel and stormed off the stage, leaving Shouyou feeling unexpectedly cold and hollow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER!! I'm a horrible person, I'm sorry. I'll try not to wait so long to update for the next chapter. Also sorry for slight oihina in this one if you're not into that (I am so whatever lol). It just kinda happened what can I say? For future updates, I'm plotting a huge time commitment fic rn so I may put high gear behind this one to finish it up before opening the next soul-sucking demon. Anyway, thanks for reading:) PS if you have any questions about band names A) no one helped me think of any so it was subject to my creativity and B) I have explanations for all of them if you'd like to know


	4. Zombie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Heart is taken over  
> When the violence causes silence  
> We must be mistaken"

Tetsurou downed the shot of whiskey, only finding the slightest bit of pleasure as the heated liquid expanded in his throat and warmed the rest of his otherwise rigid body.

He slammed the glass down before knotting his fingers through his hair.

“Damn it.”

Meanwhile Testurou’s drinking partner and longtime confident, Kenma, was sipping on some fruity beverage. There was even an umbrella with a hue that almost matched the strands of Kenma’s dyed hair shading the drink.

“It’s good seeing you, too,” Kenma mumbled in between sips.

“I didn’t mean—” Tetsurou groaned. “Look, I’m sorry if I’m in a bad mood. I just have a lot of things on my mind.”

“Like how you almost slept with the vocalist of my band?”

As usual, Kenma hadn’t tried blanketing the truth, and Tetsurou was left reeling at the words.

“How’d you know?”

“Shouyou isn’t very good about hiding his illicit behaviors from us.”

“We didn’t fuck, just so you know,” Tetsurou said gruffly.

“He told us, but even if he hadn’t I would’ve guessed.”

Tetsurou’s eyebrow edged upwards. “What do you mean?”

Kenma opened his mouth to respond, but Tetsurou hastily cut him off. “Never mind, I don’t want to hear it. I invited you out for drinks so we could catch up, not talk about your friend.” That was a lie. Tetsurou wanted to know more about Hinata so he could better understand why the hell he had been swept up by Tooru of all people.

“What do you want to talk about, then?” Kenma asked.

“Well, we haven’t seen each other since when? Winter? But you text me so often I feel like it hasn’t been that long.”

Kenma's eyes lit up at this, and Tetsurou sighed. Yes, this was what he needed after tonight’s disaster—he had fucked up on the rhythm to _Supermassive Black Hole_ just because he had seen Tooru and Hinata gazing into each other’s eyes like some sickening lovers. Neither of his bandmates had said anything about the hiccup after they went off the stage, but Tetsurou knew that they had heard it too.

Kenma’s leveled voice and even stare had kept Tetsurou cool during all his rough patches in school,so it had to have the same effect tonight.

So they talked, or more like Tetsurou rambled on while Kenma occasionally chimed in about himself. They graced the topics of their new favorite movies, their respective apartments and their current states—Tetsurou’s neat and orderly while Kenma’s was littered with the plastic wrappers that had once concealed games—and their day jobs. They were able to avoid too deep of conversations about their bands, bandmates, or the competition itself. While they were supposed to be rivals in the Battle of the Bands, the two, despite not having seen each other face-to-face for several months, reverted to the closest of friends in the dimly lit bar two streets down from the venue.

After Tetsurou exhausted the topic of the tattoos he still wanted, Kenma asked, “Is that eyebrow piercing new?”

Tetsurou unconsciously raised his hand to the skin surrounding the less than a day old piercing. It was painful to the touch, but Testurou had experienced worse.

“Yeah, I got it this morning,” he said mindlessly.

“At Noya’s place?” Kenma asked.

Tetsurou nodded, already knowing what was going to come next.

“So that’s where you met Shouyou?”

“I already told you I don’t want to talk about him.”

Before Kenma could respond, his phone buzzed against the bar’s counter. He gazed down at the screen, and Tetsurou followed his eyes. The text message burned bright on the screen so that Tetsurou could easily read it, even from his distance.

 

**Shouyou: Still at the bar with Oikawa. May be back at the apartment late.**

Blood roared in Tetsurou’s ears. As if he could hear it, Kenma asked, “You alright?”

Through gritted teeth, Testurou said, “Of course I am.”

Kenma hummed in his version of calling Tetsurou on his bullshit.

“Since we play again tomorrow you don’t have to worry about Shouyou sleeping with your bandmate,” Kenma said, as he tucked his phone under the bar and typed out a quick response.

“And how would you know that?” Tetsurou scoffed.

“Shouyou has this superstition where he can’t sleep with anyone the day before a show or he messes up.” Kenma peaked up from his phone and raised an eyebrow. “He didn’t tell you that?”

Tetsurou mulled over what Kenma had just revealed. Hinata didn’t fuck anyone before a show. Because of some stupid superstition, he didn’t sleep with a living person—male or female—prior to a show.

“Kenma!” Tetsurou seized the smaller man by his shoulders and shook him once. “Is that what you meant earlier?”

Kenma frowned at Tetsurou’s grip, and immediately, Tetsurou dropped his hands.

“What?” Kenma asked, fixing his sweatshirt in place.

“When you said that you would’ve known that Hinata and I didn’t hook up even if neither of us had mentioned that were you talking about his superstition.”

“Obviously,” Kenma nodded. “He really believes in it too. He can get around, but he cares about performing more than anything else. If there’s one thing constant in Shouyou’s life, it’s his abstinence before a concert.”

Tetsurou grinned. “So Hinata didn’t stop me because he didn’t like me?”

Kenma cringed. “I really don’t want to hear about whatever was happening between you and Shouyou earlier, but I’m sure that’s what happened. He can be idiotic, so he must’ve forgotten to tell you why.”

Or I just didn’t let him. Tetsurou remembered that Hinata had been on the verge of explaining himself back in the bathroom of the Night Owl, but Tetsurou had been too heated to let him. Maybe it wasn’t Hinata that was the idiot but Tetsurou.

“Shit, Kenma, I have to tell him that it was all a misunderstanding.” Tetsurou rubbed his hands together, trying to figure out how to do that exactly.

“Where is he right now?” Tetsurou asked.

“At a bar with your bandmate.”

“ _I know that_ ,” Tetsurou rasped out. “That’s why I have to get there before freakin' Tooru makes a move on Hinata.”

“I already told you that Hinata won’t do anything.”

“Yeah, but—” Tetsurou made some kind of frustrated noise he couldn't name. “It’s just that thinking about Tooru even touching Hinata makes me want to strangle the guy, and he’s my bandmate and friend. When Tooru kissed him at the show, I was ready to hit him over the head with my drumsticks.”

“And do you think that you explaining yourself to Hinata is going to make a difference in anything?”

Tetsurou winced. He knew it was the truth and Kenma had the right to be blunt about it, but it was still a blow to his esteem. Yeah, he was used to getting guys, and often times they crawled back to him even when he didn’t lure them. But something about Hinata was different. It had been that way since Tetsurou first saw him at Noya’s shop.

“I don’t know what I expect to happen when I talk to Hinata. All I know is that he deserves an explanation as to why I’ve been an asshole to him.”

Kenma’s face remained stony, but then, gradually, a small smile quirked his lips upward.

“He’s at the Blue Light Bar a few streets down. I can give you directions.”

“You think I’m just going to leave you at this bar? You’re my best friend, Kenma. I’m not going to drop you for a guy.”

“So you expect me to go with you then?”

Tetsurou smiled in response.

Kenma rolled his eyes, but he picked his jean jacket up from the seat next to him. “You’re lucky you have me in your life.”

Tetsurou threw enough money to cover both of their drinks onto the counter and got to his feet. He pulled his leather jacket on before wrapping an arm around Kenma and tugging him close. “Sure as hell I am. Now let’s go ruin Tooru’s date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY I HAVENT UPDATED THIS FOR MONTHS :( I’ve been meaning to but honestly, no matter how much I want to write this story, it’s not happening. That’ll help explain why this chapter is so short, and once again I’m sorry for that. I’ll try my best to get more up at a quicker rate, but I can’t make any promises. Writers block is spontaneous and evil.


	5. Bizarre Love Triangle

“So that’s how we named our band.”

Shouyou laughed so hard he almost spat out his beer. “No fucking way.”

Oikawa nodded, a large smile plastered on his face. “It’s all true.”

Even though Oikawa had already told the story, Shouyou felt the need to go over it once more. “So you’re telling me that you guys got drunk at your apartment, and then the owner of a bar you were supposed to play at the next day called and said you guys needed a name for your band or else you were getting booted?”

“Yes, yes.”

“And he wouldn’t let you off the hook until you gave him a band name so you guys were scrambling around the room looking for inspiration…”

“When Kou hit the calendar from my wall,” Oikawa said, taking full control over the story. “Once it fell, he went to pick it up before exclaiming that it was Wednesday, so we should include Wednesday into our band name. Of course, Tetsurou and I were too drunk to see how stupid it was and agreed, but we needed something else. Wednesday was just too simple.

“The guy on the phone was practically yelling at us for taking so long. He called us a bunch of drunk lunatics. Somehow, we didn’t process that as an insult. Instead, Tetsurou shouted that ‘lunatics’ was the final tag we had been looking for. Wednesdays with Lunatics. And that’s the amazing story of how we named our band.”

Shouyou slipped into hysterics once more. “That’s great.”

Oikawa’s hazy eyes glimmered with amusement. He and Shouyou had been at the bar for an hour but Oikawa had already gone through three beers. His cheeks were flushed with a beautiful pink that only added to his elegance, and he was quick to smile at Shouyou’s comments. He wasn’t drunk—no, but buzzed enough to notice a change in his demeanor. There was nothing predatory about it, but now he was more open and friendly. _Maybe he’s always like this_ , Shouyou thought for a second. He had only met Oikawa today after all.

Shouyou longed to consume as much alcohol as Oikawa, but after what’d happened earlier today with Kuroo when he was fully coherent, he couldn’t risk being too hammered. Oikawa was attractive and had kissed him earlier and Shouyou couldn’t be making any more stupid decisions. The performance today had been flawless, and if he wanted to duplicate it he had to be sex-free for two more days.

Oikawa lifted his beer bottle to his lips as he said, “Some of life’s greatest moments happen when you’re drunk.”

Shouyou tapped his fingers along the side of his bottle as he thought back on his occasions of being totally wasted. “Or the worst. It’s a fifty-fifty shot.”

Oikawa suddenly moved so his shoulder brushed against Shouyou’s, his lips inches from the shell of Shouyou’s ear. “If I was drunk and kissed you I think it would go under the greatest.”

Shouyou’s heart thudded against his ribcage. He took an unsteady breath and said, “But you’re not drunk.”

“But I’m not drunk,” Oikawa repeated, but a grin quickly followed. “Yet.”

As if to prove his point, Oikawa inhaled the rest of his beer. Shouyou laughed as a bit dribbled from the corner of his mouth and rushed down his chin. Before the small droplets could fall onto Oikawa’s shirt, Shouyou reached his arm forward and wiped away the stray alcohol with the hem of his long-sleeve.

Oikawa softly grabbed Shouyou’s wrist but didn’t move it from his face. He just kept it there, holding onto the small circumference of Shouyou’s wrist and looking into his eyes with an unwavering stare.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re pretty?” Oikawa asked, still maintaining his grip.

Because Oikawa was drunk and his brazenness was flustering Shouyou, Shouyou mocked an eye roll. “Oh, all the time.”

“Good,” Oikawa said. “Because you are, and people should remind you of it.”

Shouyou laughed nervously, “Shut up.”

“I’m serious,” Oikawa whined.

Shouyou felt his cheeks burn as he said, “Well, you’re hot so…”

It was easy for Shouyou to think that, but saying it aloud was like admitting some deep secret. It was kind of like back when he was in high school and had been embarrassed of thinking other guys were attractive. Now he didn’t give a shit about what others thought of his sexuality, but he still wasn’t comfortable voicing his own sincere attraction to Oikawa.

Somewhere though Shouyou wondered if he gravitated to Oikawa because he was still hung-up on Kuroo.

 _No, no_ , he told himself. _Definitely not._

He wanted to lie and say that Oikawa was the more appealing of the two, but there was no way he could even think that. They were both damn attractive but in totally different senses. Where Oikawa smiled, Kuroo smirked. Where Oikawa gleamed with regality, Kuroo burned with lethal poise. All of Oikawa’s edges were soft, but Kuroo’s were hard.

Here, even when buzzed, Oikawa glowed with some inherited grace. The way he smiled and laughed; all of it was so eloquent and precise, like every movement he made had a purpose. He absorbed the light in a room and reflected it with double the intensity. Kuroo was also different from Oikawa in that sense. Kuroo stole every beam of light and ounce of air in a room and hid them from sight so that all you could focus on—all you could inhale—was him.

Oikawa reached his hand up and ran his fingers through Shouyou’s hair, uplifting its sides as if to mock his own hairstyle.

“Do I have to wait until I’m drunk to kiss you?”

“N-no,” Shouyou stammered. He was pretty sure his face was redder than Oikawa’s, and he’d had a lot less to drink.

“Good.” Oikawa lowered his hand so it cupped Shouyou’s face.

As Oikawa’s face approached his own, Shouyou heard a voice in the back of his head scream, ‘ _NO_ ’. Shouyou startled at the thought. It wasn’t like Oikawa was doing this against Shouyou’s will, and Shouyou had the rationality to not let things go too far like they had with Kuroo. This time, it was going to be different. This time, he wasn’t going to get hurt.

Shouyou was just closing his eyes, his lips beginning to graze the softness of Oikawa’s when a voice shouted over the thrumming music of the bar.

“TOORU!”

Shouyou’s eyes snapped open. He knew that voice.

The soft pressure of Oikawa’s lips was gone in an instant, and Shouyou’s eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.

 _Kuroo_ , he thought because he had lost ability to speak at the sight of the other man.

“What the hell?” Oikawa exclaimed. He was lifted from his seat by the collar of his shirt, and the hands knotted in the dark fabric belonged to none other than Kuroo.

“Sorry to cock block you,” Kuroo huffed, but Shouyou could hear the sincerity in his voice, “but Hinata’s mine.”

Shouyou’s gut tightened, and he couldn’t tell if he enjoyed the sensation or not.

“Huh?” Oikawa said, switching his stare over to Shouyou.

“I, uh—”

“We made out this morning before the competition,” Kuroo interrupted. "That's it, but it doesn't change the fact that I saw, that I _wanted_ , Hinata first."

Oikawa’s eyes went wide as he flipped them back over to Kuroo. “So _that’s_ why you were so out of it today?”

Shouyou saw Kuroo grind his teeth at the comment, but nodded in agreement anyway.

“Yeah, I fucked up _Supermassive_ because you were making lover’s eyes at him.” Kuroo loosened one hand from Oikawa’s collar to point it in Shouyou’s direction. “And even though I told myself I was over him and whatever, I knew it was all bullshit. The moment I saw you looking at Hinata was the same moment I realized that Hinata isn’t just a one-time thing!”

All the air left Shouyou’s body as his jaw dropped. Was this actually happening?

When Kenma came into the picture, Shouyou was almost positive he was dreaming. Kenma wasn’t much of one to go out, even when Shouyou batted his eyelashes and begged. Seeing him in his favorite jean jacket under the dim lighting of the bar would’ve been a welcomed sight if it hadn’t been accompanied by Kuroo gripping Oikawa’s neckline.

“Kuroo, you’re making a scene.” Kenma looked over his shoulder, and Shouyou followed. Sure enough, several customers weren’t taking their eyes off the problematic group.

“Sorry,” Kuroo said, dropping his hands from Oikawa’s shirt. “Really, Tooru, I didn’t mean to come here and threaten you. I just want you to know that Hinata deserves someone who cares, and if you don’t, I sure as hell do.”

God. Oh, God. This was getting too much.

“I need air,” Shouyou gasped.

The only one who seemed to hear him was Kenma, who immediately came to his side.

“Shouyou, do you—”

“It’s so stuffy in here.” Shouyou tried to cough, but his throat was turning into the freaking desert. “I can’t breathe.”

“Come on, I’ll help you out,” Kenma said as he slung his arm over Shouyou’s shoulders, guiding him from the leather seat of the table.

Shouyou was getting onto his feet when the other two finally noticed him.

“Hey,” Kuroo called, “what are you doing, Kenma?”

“He needs air,” Kenma said sharply. “I’m taking him outside.”

Kuroo started to frantically move over to Shouyou. “Wait, I’ll help him.”

Oikawa shot up. “No, I will. I’m his date after all.”

“And I’m his friend.” Though Kenma’s voice stayed in that even tone of his, there was something in it, something Shouyou rarely ever heard. It wasn’t exactly hostile or angry, but the change reached all the way into his large eyes—the eerie calmness in their depths was fractured as he turned back to stare at Kuroo and Oikawa. “Until the two of you sort this out, don’t follow us.”

That made the pair freeze in their tracks, and Kenma lead Shouyou out of the bar in peace.

When Kenma pushed open the door, a blast of wind slapped Shouyou’s flushed cheeks, and nothing had ever felt so wonderful.

Inside the bar he had started hyperventilating, so now he doubled over and heaved in the fresh air like it was the best drink in the world.

“Are you okay?” Kenma asked from the side. He was giving Shouyou the distance he desperately needed.

“Yeah,” Shouyou said when he finally had properly functioning lungs. “I don’t know why I freaked out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry about?” Shouyou turned his head so he was staring at Kenma rather than the cement.

But Kenma wasn’t looking to him. His head was turned out towards the street, and his hands were stuffed into his jacket’s pockets.

“I told Kuroo that you were here. After he figured out about your superstition, he was crazy about coming here and explaining himself to you. I knew you were on a date with Oikawa but I helped him find you anyway. This is my fault.”

“Kenma, no it’s not,” Shouyou said sternly. He stood up straight; his throat had returned to its normal level of dryness. “I should’ve told Kuroo about my superstition before anything even happened between us. Then I wouldn’t be in this crappy situation.”

“I never would’ve thought that you’d see two guys fighting over you as a crappy situation.”

Shouyou actually laughed at that. “You’re right. I tend to be a bit of an attention whore.”

“Especially on stage.” The corners of Kenma’s lips quirked up into the barest of smiles. “You never stop moving.”

“I like the spotlight,” Shouyou admitted. “But this is different. For starters, they’re both our rivals in the Battle of the Bands. I can’t let them get in my head when I want to win this thing more than anything. But…”

Kenma turned his head enough for Shouyou to see his eyebrow rise.

“But is it fair of _me_ to leave them like this?” Shouyou asked.

Before Kenma could answer, Blue Light Bar’s door opened wide enough to allow two tall bodies out.

The fresh air outside grew heavy, and Shouyou held his breath as Kuroo and Oikawa emerged. They weren’t talking and smiling to one another, but neither of them looked too angry. Kuroo’s hand wasn’t wrapped around Oikawa’s collar—that much was apparent.

Kenma twisted his body around so he stood at Shouyou’s side and slightly in front of him. The height difference between him and Kenma was almost nonexistent, but the bare traces of it felt like a thick barrier between Shouyou and the two members of Wednesdays with Lunatics.

“We’re turning in,” Kuroo said. The passion in his voice was gone, and his eyes didn’t go past Kenma’s shoulder. Oikawa’s eyes didn’t stray far either, and his easy-forming smile had subsided into a straight line.

“What are your plans?”

“Probably go over the lyrics for tomorrow’s songs before going to sleep,” Oikawa said, faking a yawn.

Kenma gave him an unamused look, and Kuroo addressed the real question.

“Tooru and I are going to keep this civil, especially with the competition going on.”

Shouyou’s heart skipped. He’d thought the two would’ve dropped their feelings for him the moment they realized the ridiculousness of their rivalry. He was half-expecting the duo to emerge from the bar laughing into each other’s arms over how they had ended up so hung-up over a guy like Hinata.

“So you’re going to wait to figure your bizarre love triangle out in two more days?” Kenma asked.

“Not exactly.” Oikawa winked before spinning on his heel. He twisted his head over his shoulder, finally allowing his eyes to wander over to Shouyou. His lips curled up into a smile that made Shouyou feel warm even with the nighttime chill. “Sorry that our date got cut off, Hinata. I promise to make up for it.” He faced forward, but Shouyou heard him add, “And I won’t waste any time waiting to kiss you next time.”

Kuroo’s straight face cracked for a second, revealing a vicious snarl and narrowed eyes, but it fixed itself back in place as soon as Oikawa skipped down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

“I’m turning in, too,” Kuroo said gruffly. He shoved his hands into his leather jacket. Hell, Shouyou hadn’t noticed that before. In a black leather jacket, Kuroo looked hot as hell. Well, he always looked hot as hell, but the jacket topped off his lethal attractiveness, which was already so high it was hardly fair.

“Goodnight, Kuroo,” Kenma said.

Shouyou finally spoke up. “But didn’t you come with Kuroo?”

“I think Kenma should stay with you.”

Kuroo still wasn’t looking at him, but it was the closest he had come to acknowledging Shouyou.

It was pathetic of Shouyou, but relief flushed through him. Kuroo wasn’t going back to totally ignoring him like he had at the venue.

“See you guys tomorrow,” Kuroo said with a wave, and then he was trekking off in the same direction Oikawa had gone.

“That settles that,” Kenma said when Kuroo was out of earshot. “Let’s go home, Shouyou. I have a game I’ve been dying to play.”

“Alright,” Shouyou said weakly.

Although Kenma felt like the night had met a fitting closure, Shouyou felt _off_. Like something was missing or forgotten. Whatever it was, it left him sure that the night and everything in general was far from being settled, and when he walked across the street with Kenma and the wind blew on his back, every inch of his body shook from the chill and building anticipation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i freaking raged to Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order to finish this chapter, so shout out to New Order. But an even greater shout out to all of you. Honestly, your guys' kudos, comments, and support are what motivate me to actually write this and freaking bash writer's block into a wall. I can only hope that I don't let you guys down, but thank you, thank you, eternally.
> 
> *psst* I have sacrificed myself to a paranormal, lengthy kurohina fic-The Killing Moon. Read, don't read, but if all you want is kurohina hot times, skip to ch 3 ;)

**Author's Note:**

> if you're reading this note, thanks for putting up with my work!! If you are interested in where this story goes please offer up band name ideas. All I have right now is my own band name (in the future miracle I somehow learn to play guitar or sing and form a band lol) Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed!


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